In Chinese medicine, this berry is used to encourage immune system health as well as treating cough, wheezing, liver and heart problems. It’s considered a “five-flavored” food because it tastes sour, bitter, sweet, spicy and salty.
Although fruit extracts like schizandra have been used by Chinese health practitioners for many years, there isn’t strong scientific research to back up some of these so-called therapies. “No clinical trials have tested whether schizandra has biological effects in humans, or whether it is safe to take for long periods of time,” the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City says on its website.
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According to MSKCC, using schizandra berry to treat the following is not supported by scientific evidence :
- Asthma
- Coughs
- Diarrhea
- Indigestion
- Flu
- Liver disease
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
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